Colombia walks away with a narrow 2-0 victory against Peru on Thursday in Barranquilla to start the 2018 CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifications. Los Cafeteros took advantage of two mistakes from the Peruvian defense to escape with three points at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
The Colombians at home started the match fast and searched for the first goal. Los Incas were attempting to hold out. Peru’s defense was playing stubborn and causing Colombia’s offense trouble. Los Cafeteros were creating chances but only four out of their 10 shots were on frame.
In the final 10 minutes of the first half Peru’s defense had a quick relapse. Colombian midfielder Juan Cuadrado placed the corner kick right at the center of the penalty box. Cafetero defender Cristian Zapata redirected the ball towards a wide open Teófilo Gutiérrez.
The Colombian forward was completely alone and only had Peru’s goalie Pedro Gallese right in front him. Gutiérrez wasted no time and headed the ball into the roof off the net to give Colombia the 1-0 lead at the 36th minute.
The Peruvian defenders protested to the referee that he was off sides. However, Peru’s defender Luis Advíncula failed to abandon the right hand post in time, and in result the goal stayed.
The goal gave Colombia confidence to double their lead before the halftime break. In stoppage time Gutiérrez nearly scored twice but Gallese blocked both of the shots. In the second half La Blanquirroja offense woke up and began to generate chances.
Five minutes into the second half Peru nearly tied the match. However, the opportunity almost seemed lost when midfielder Josepmir Ballón lost the ball near the top of the penalty box. Veteran Inca Carlos Lobatón pounced on the loose the ball and sent André Carrillo into the right hand side of the box.
Carrillo then eluded one defender when he changed his direction. He then caught the attention of three Colombian defenders as he approached the penalty spot. With the defenders following his every step he laid the ball off to a wide open Paolo Guerrero. The Peruvian striker fired off a shot immediately, the ball raced towards the right hand corner of the net. Guerrero’s shot seemed destined to tie the game, but instead the ball smacked the post and Colombia’s 1-0 lead was saved.
Both nations kept on attacking but the next best chance came to Peru. At the 88th minute Peruvian midfielder Christian Cueva outmuscled a Colombian player to gain possession. He then sent the speedy substitute Yordy Reyna towards the goal by lobbing the ball to him. Yordy controlled the pass and as he entered the box he pulled the trigger and fired the ball wide left.
Yordy put his hands over his head in disbelief. However, that miss summed up Los Incas effort in the match. The second goal off Colombia began from their defense smothering La Blanquirroja’s last two chances. First they cleared a header off the goal line and then eventually stole the ball from Ballón before he took a shot.
After that Los Cafeteros counter attack was unleashed. Cuadrado received the ball in his own part off the field and took off. He raced past one defender then he found himself in open space, and heading towards the penalty box. Right before Los Incas stopped his run he sent a direct pass to midfielder Edwin Cardona. The midfielder did not attempt to stop the pass he just let it roll, till he chipped the ball over Gallese to seal the 2-0 victory at the 95th minute.
Colombia currently seats in second place with three points and a positive two goal differential. Los Cafeteros will now hit the road for their next match. The Colombians will attempt to go 2-0 as they face Uruguay at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on Oct. the 13th.
Los Incas are in last place with a negative two goal differential and zero points after this result. The good news for Peru is that their next match will be back in the cozy confides of the Estadio Nacional in Lima. La Blanquirroja and Chile will write another chapter in the Clásico Del Pacífico on Oct. the 13th. Peru cannot start the qualifications 0-2.